Tag Archives: DIY Solar Power

A major selling point for residential solar generation is the advantages it brings of distributed generation. More precise load delivery, fewer losses in transmission and fewer costs in grid infrastructure and maintenance are just a few of the efficiencies provided by distributed electricity networks. However, many of these grid benefits, particularly when considering solar power generation, […]

As we’ve discussed in the past on this blog, there are a number of ways in which the US solar market is changing- declining panel prices, volatile state SREC markets, and innovative incentive programs are just a few examples. However,a recent announcement from REFU Solar Electronics, or REFUsol, a German manufacturer that specializes in solar inverter technology, […]

Overshadowed by the prominent state solar markets in nearby New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Maryland has quietly emerged as a hotspot for residential solar. With an aggressive Renewable Portfolio Standard and relatively high electricity costs, Maryland homeowners have plenty of reason to throw panels on their rooftops. According to the state’s Public Service Commission, applications to receive state […]

The 2011 Solar Decathlon hosted by the Department of Energy ended last weekend in Washington, DC. The event featured 19 solar-powered homes designed and built by students and faculty from universities across the country and abroad. In addition to home energy performance, competing entries were also judged across 10 categories measuring affordability, livability, and marketability. To achieve a perfect […]

Residential solar often struggles to compete with commercial and utility-scale solar industries in terms of system pricing. Smaller average facility sizes, less standardization in supply chains, and relatively large upfront costs to prospective system owners make it difficult for residential solar markets to take advantage of economies of scale efficiencies, which makes it difficult for homeowners […]

At this year’s West Coast Green conference in San Francisco, Bill McDonough gave a rousing call–to-action keynote speech in which he proclaimed that we do not have an energy problem, but what we do have is a materials problem. He went on to say that the carbon in the environment is in the wrong place. Instead of leaving it […]

A recent article by Martin Holladay on Green Building Advisor highlighted an interesting question. How long will solar panels continue to produce electricity once installed? Holladay recently took a 30-year old solar panel off of his roof in Vermont to test how it performs after all those years of service. The results were surprising. After 30 years of being […]

If micro-inverters are the current craze in the solar industry, then solar energy monitoring systems will be the next big thing. Micro-inverters (and other parallel technology) were given lots of attention because they can increase the efficiency of a system by up to as much as 10%-20%. Similarly, solar electricity systems that are hooked up to monitoring systems have a […]

This piece is made possible by the reporter Erica Gies, the editing of the SF Public Press and funding from Spot.Us. This piece is free to be republished but must give credit to all parties. We have reprinted it from The Daily Green. In recent years the electronics industry has gained notoriety for creating an endless stream of disposable products that […]

“How do I know if solar electricity is right for me?” It’s easier than you think to make that determination. Here’s a simple checklist to see if you’re a good candidate for solar energy. In a future post I’ll go through each check point in detail, but in the meantime, here is the list: Do […]

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Residential Solar 101 is dedicated to educating homeowners and renters about solar power options. We believe that the economic argument for solar is just as compelling as the environmental one and that everyone can save money and the environment at the same time.